News, Notes, and Nods: Undergraduates
1962
Charlie Adams ’62 and Ash Smith ’62: See 1963, below.
1963
Len Wollins ’63, P’90 (from left), Paul Dernavich ’63, Roger Regnier ’63, Charlie Adams ’62, Ash Smith ’62, and Rob Wilkinson ’64 (not pictured) reunited at Legal Seafoods last October. The long lunch was the first time the group of alumni has been able to meet since the COVID-19 pandemic. The friends used to meet every Christmas, a tradition held for 30 years. Being able to gather in person made the seafood summit all the more special. “Stories were swapped in grand style. Promises were made for the upcoming 60th reunion for the Class of 1963,” Regnier wrote.
1964
Richard Kimball ’64 writes that he is actively investing in early-stage companies, many of which were founded by Babson graduates. He also was recently elected to the board of directors of SafeSchools, an organization that provides safety and compliance training for school officials. Kimball is active with the Kimball Family Association’s scholarship fund and other nonprofit organizations.
Rob Wilkinson ’64: See 1963, above.
1966
James Herbert ’66, H’19, a former Babson trustee and the chairman and founding CEO of First Republic Bank, has been given Dance Magazine’s 2022 Chairman’s Award. The award, chosen by Dance Media CEO Frederic M. Seegal, is meant to honor distinctive movers and shakers who are behind the scenes.
1974
Frederic S. Ury ’74 began working at Pullman & Comley LLC as a member of its litigation practice last November. Ury was hired to work out of the firm’s office in Westport, Connecticut, representing individuals, corporations, and small businesses. He also has represented other attorneys in ethics and disciplinary grievances, defending hundreds of cases in Connecticut.
1977
Arnie Cowan ’77, P’25, who has worked at HP Inc. for the past 25 years as a sales specialist, said his daughter, Adri Cowan MBA’25, enrolled in an executive MBA program at Babson. Adri Cowan currently serves as the director of social media for Marvel Entertainment.
1979
Brian Lynch ’79 is volunteering with the Peace Corps, beginning a two-year mission in the Kingdom of Eswatini in southern Africa. Lynch, 65, left his home in Wilton, Connecticut, and flew to southern Africa on February 21. Lynch is one of the first volunteers to head overseas since the Peace Corps temporarily suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I planned to join the Peace Corps once I graduated from college, but life just got in the way,” said Lynch, who saw his chance when he retired in 2019 after a 40-year career at companies such as Lord & Taylor, GAP, and the Walt Disney Company. “I’m at a time now where I’d like to give back, share my experiences, and learn from others and their culture.”
1981
Jim Belli ’81 and Joe O’Connor ’81: See 1982, below.
1982
Chris Williams ’82, MBA’83 writes that he and a group of fellow alumni hit the links during their annual reunion in Delray Beach, Florida. The group, from left, included Jim Belli ’81, Ed Sheehy ’82, Joe O’Connor ’81, Williams, Bob Burr, Jamie Dulick ’82, Ken Jasper ’82, Dave Lamere ’82, Babson trustee Ken Romanzi ’82, and Tom Lydon ’82.
1988
Howard Brown ’88 led a group of Babson alumni and friends who planted two trees last fall in Detroit on Ellen Solomita Day of Service in honor of Ellen Solomita ’89. Pictured, from left: Rayshawn Whitford ’12, Karin (Dietz) Gearhart ’09 (with son NJ), Brown, Acheampong “Nicholas” Johnson MS’22, and Alan Bakst. Brown also published his memoir, Shining Brightly, including his experience as a former Babson trustee and president of the Babson Alumni Association, as well as a two-time Stage IV cancer survivor.
1991
Lee Kaltman ’91 is the founder and CEO of Ithaca Toys Factory, a social enterprise created to promote tactile play learning with sustainable products while providing workforce development in the community.
1997
Lawrence Ganti ’97 was named CEO of Fortify—which has created a new 3D printing technology called a Digital Composite Manufacturing (DCM) program—in November. Ganti, who has worked in Brazil, Japan, India, and Switzerland, will be Fortify’s second CEO. Jack Martin, the company’s co-founder and former CEO, said Ganti’s global experience will spark further growth for the Boston-based company, which began in 2016.
1998
Dina Kassis Gray ’98 is founder and CEO of the Massachusetts-based ABA Helps, a provider of in-home therapy services for children and young adults with autism. A special-needs parent herself, Gray started the company after seeing how few quality agencies there are for autistic children who age-out of traditional early-intervention programs.
2000
Sylvia Sun Limm ’00 recently founded Slimm Design: Happily Organized Homes, an interior design and home-organizing consulting company based in Belmont, Massachusetts.
2002
Daniela Erana-Andrade ’02 and seven other Babson graduates traveled to Ecuador last October, exploring the coast, thanks to Kontiki Expeditions—a tourism company focused on providing cultural experiences—created by fellow Babson graduate Maria Soledad Calderon ’02, who joined the group, and her husband. The other Babson graduates on the trip were Julia Ewald Brucher ’02, Maria Laura Calderon ’02, Sham Ehsani ’03, Yarilyn Perez ’02, Matthieu Taravella ’02, and Miguel Teixeira ’02. “It’s amazing how after 20 years from graduating, we are still close and were able to come together from all corners of the world,” Erana-Andrade wrote.
Jeff Perry ’02, who founded the sustainable urban lumber service Angel City Lumber, is participating in one of Babson’s Management Consulting Field Experience (MCFE) programs. The MCFE programs connect various businesses or organizations with Babson students focused on helping the organization overcome a current business challenge. Angel City Lumber makes first-run lumber out of felled trees in the Los Angeles area, trees that would otherwise be treated as waste and turned to mulch.
2003
Sham Ehsani ’03: See 2002, above.
2005
Megan McGovern ’05 (center) is the founder and lead organizer of SORT, a company that offers professional organization services. McGovern recently appeared on NBC10 Boston during a segment about how to clear clutter and stay organized throughout the year.
2009
Priyanka Chanchani ’09 won a Rising Star award during the Women in Derivatives Annual Gala on September 21 in New York. The award was for her work as head of the North American exchange team for Bloomberg.
Karin (Dietz) Gearhart ’09: See 1988, above.
Claudia Gutierrez ’09 married Mario Chui on March 11 in Antigua, Guatemala. Many of Gutierrez’s Babson classmates were in attendance, including (from left) Natalie Bursztyn ’09, Jancy Yang ’09, P’26, Jose Villamar ’09, Chui (groom), Gutierrez (bride), Ted Plaisted ’10, and Justina Chung ’09.
2012
Miguel Vázquez Jr. ’12 married Angela Grace Colantonio on September 3 in Hartford, Connecticut. His longtime friends and fellow alumni Amy Mon Park ’12 and Martika Jenkins ’12 attended the ceremony and celebration.
Rayshawn Whitford ’12: See 1988, above.
2013
Widmaier Charles ’13 joined the Boston law firm of Sugarman Rogers as an associate attorney in September. His practice centers on business disputes, insurance and reinsurance matters, and real estate litigation. Charles served as a law clerk to Justice Ariane D. Vuono at the Massachusetts Appeals Court before joining the firm, and he attained his real estate broker license before law school. “We are excited to have Widmaier at the firm,” said managing partner Christine Netski. “He has a strong civil litigation background and excellent business insights from his time in commercial real estate that will serve our clients very well.”
2014
Eric Muli ’14 was named among the Top 100 Kenyans 2022, an annual list released by local news site Kenyans.co.ke. Muli made the list as founder and CEO of Lipa Later, a consumer credit platform that operates in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) model. Muli founded the company in 2017, and it operates in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana, serving 200,000 customers. Lipa Later has since expanded, allowing customers to acquire various services in addition to items that they can put on credit and pay over a period of time.
2015
Brian Lawler ’15 married Sarah Anthony ’18 on September 24 at St. Michael’s Church in Netcong, New Jersey. Anthony, a Weissman Scholar, met Lawler during CPU Bible study at the Donald W. Reynolds Campus Center. Many of their Babson alumni friends joined the wedding, including (from left) Cassie Bybee MBA’20, Malcolm Bybee ’14, Ary Schlumberger ’15, John Lawler ’84, MBA’89, Jack McCarthy ’81, Lawler (groom), Anthony (bride), Jarrod Ford ’16, Elijah Arnold ’15, Trevor Sullivan ’15, Mackenzie Rafeldt ’15, Tyler Rafeldt ’15, and Chris Harrington ’15. Devon (Gay) Sullivan ’15 also attended. “We’re blessed to have wonderful family and friends together for the celebration,” Brian Lawler said. “We’re honored to continue to be a part of the Babson community.”
2016
Jenn MacAuley ’16, MBA’24 married Steve Schlesinger MBA’24 on October 1 in Arlington, Massachusetts. Several of their former Babson classmates attended, including (from left) Trevor Sullivan ’15, Lauren Kaley ’17, Devon (Gay) Sullivan ’15, Hayley Malloy ’16, MacAuley (bride), Schlesinger (groom), Emily Cleland ’16, Kacy Cuenta ’14, and Lizzy Egan ’16.
2018
Sarah Anthony ’18 married Brian Lawler ’15 on September 24 at St. Michael’s Church in Netcong, New Jersey. Read more in 2015, above.
2020
Maria Bravo ’20 celebrated her recent engagement at the Harvard Club in New York in October. Many of her Babson classmates were at the celebration, as well as Mike Lynch, the Pamela P. and Brian M. Barefoot Athletics Director and Senior Director of Athletic Advancement at Babson College.
2021
Sasha Pronin ’21 recently joined Ramp, a credit card and financial automation company. Ramp is a free corporate card and expense management platform that helps companies consolidate cards, pay bills, or file for reimbursements to increase efficiency.
2022
Jonathan Bensadon ’22 founded a new company, Bedly, to help people sleep better. Bedly straps are designed to wrap around your mattress topper and mattress pad to ensure they stay secure. The company also offers clips at the end of the straps that allow you to attach them to your bed sheets so that your fitted sheets stay fitted.
MORE NEWS, NOTES, AND NODS FROM THE SPRING 2023 ISSUE:
Graduates » In Memoriam »
Posted in Community
